Animal trap



Patented July 29, 1941 ;FFICE ANIMAL 'm r Yervant H. Kurkjianj-Hawthorne, N. J. Application April 1s, 194]); Serial 310,330,395

5 Claims. (011-498355 r This invention relates to animal traps and has for one of its objects the production of a simple and .efiicient *bait-set trap which may be easily set and which will not be likely to spring and thereby injure the fingers of the operator while i the operator is in the process of setting the trap. r A further object of this invention is the production of a simple and eicient trap having a jaw-securing member which conforms to the contour of the thumb and which contacts the trigger to automatically move the trigger to a bait-engaging position and thereby facilitate the placing of the bait under the trigger.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear throughout the following specification and claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of the trap;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View taken online 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the trap showing the trigger and jaw-securing member in a released position.

By referring to the drawing, it will be seen that lll designates the base upon which is pivotally mounted a spring-looped animal-engaging jaw ll of the conventional type. A jaw-securing member |2 is hingedly secured to one end to the base by means of an anchoring staple l3. This .jaw-securing member l2 is inwardly bowed longitudinally so as to conform to the contour of the under face of the thumb of an operator to facilitate the holding of the jaw-securing member in the manner shown in Figure 2, while setting the trap.

The jaw-securing member l2 is provided with a downwardly and forwardly extending triggerengaging lip l4 at its forward end, which is adapted to engage the trigger l5 for holding the member i2 in a set position. The trigger l5 is hingedly secured to the base lu by means of a staple i6, forwardly of the member i2, and the trigger l5 is provided with a rearwardly extending portion i1 having a pair of parallel overhanging tongues i8 and an underset tongue [9. The underset tongue l9 is of greater length than the tongues l8 and is arranged on a lower plane than the tongues la, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The trigger l5 is also provided with a forwardly and downwardly extending bait-engaging hook or point 20 which is adapted to engage the bait 2| and firmly hold the bait 2! against accidental displacement from the bait-receiving socket 22. A flat spring 23 is carried by the base lo and engages the trigger |5 in the manner shown in Figures 2 and:3 to normally hold the trigger i5 in aposition for automatic locking engagement Withthetongues |8 and i9..

c The\ operation of the device is as follows:

, The animal-engaging jaw ll is swung to the position shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, and the jaw-securing member |2 is moved to the position shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3, whereby the jaw-securing member l2 will overlie the animalengaging jaw ll. This jaw-securing member Iz is grasped in the manner shown in Figure 2 .whereby the underface of the thumb will lie within the. longitudinal concave upper face of the jaw-securing member i2 and the forefinger Will lie .under the base IG, as shown in detail in Figure 2. The forwardly extending lip i4 will contact .the underlying tongue le and swing the trigger.l5 to a position whereby the overhangingtongues t8 will overlie the lip [4. The bait 2! is .then placed in the socket 22 in a manner so as to contact the hook 20 and support the A trigger l5 in the position shown in Figure 2, thereby locking the jaw-securing member i2 in a set position. The flat spring 23 is only of sufiicient tension to normally swing the trigger l5 away from the lip i4 of the jaw-securing member when the two part-s are disengaged. This will at all times hold the overhanging tongues i8 in a position to be cleared by the lip 14 when the jaw-securing member i2 is swung to a trigger-engaging position at which time the lip' l l will contact the underset tongue i9 and swing the trigger i5 toward the lip i4 and cause the overhanging tongues l8 to overlie the lip |4 in the position shown in Figure 2. The purpose of this spring is to prevent the trigger from falling back toward the jaw-securing member l2 while setting the trap and holding the same in a vertically edgewise position.

As the rodent eats the bait 2l the trigger l5 Will swing into the socket 22 and move the tongues i8 out of contact with the lip i4 releasing the trigger l5 from the member i2 and the tension of the animal-engaging jaw ll will cause this `jaw to swing to an animal-engaging position. v

The present trap is especially adaptable for catching rodents, small animals, mice, and the like, and may be easily set and because of the fact that the trap is a bait-set trap, the trap is not likely to accidentally spring and injure the fingers of the operator while the trap is being set or placed in position for catching a rodent.

It should be understood that certain detail changes in the mechanical construction and arrangement of parts may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, so long as such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. A bait-set trap of the character described comprising a base, an animal-engaging jaw hinged upon the base, tension means for said j a w, a trigger hinged upon the base, a jaw securing member hinged upon said base and adapted to overhang the animal-engaging jaw and also adapted to engage said trigger for holding the animal-engaging jaw in a set position in engagement with said jaw-securing member, the trigger having a bait-engaging portion adapted to engage a bait in a manner whereby the trigger will be held in a set position by the bait and in locking engagement with said jaw-securing member, and said jaw-securing member being bowed inwardly toward said base and conforming to the contour of the under face of an operator's thumb to facilitate the holding of the jaw-securing member in a locking position with respect to said trigger while the trap is being set.

2. A bait-set trap of the character described comprising a base, an animal-engaging jaw hinged upon the base, tension means for said invention, what is jaw. a trigger hinged upon the base, a jaw ser curing member hinged upon said base and adapted to overhang the jaw and hold the same in a set position in engagement with said trigger, the trigger having a bait-engaging portion adapted to engage a bait in a manner whereby the trigger Will be held in a set position by the bait and in locking engagement with said J'awsecuring member, said jaW-securing member being adapted to hold the jaw in a set position,

said jaW-securing member having a forwardly extending lip, said trigger having an overhanging means adapted to engage the lip to hold the jaW-securing member in a set position, and said trigger also having an underlying means adapted to be engaged by said lip for moving said overr trigger having a bait-engaging portion adapted to engage a bait in a manner whereby the trigger will be held in a set position by the bait and in locking engagement with said jaw-securing member, said jaw-securing member being adapted to hold the jaw in a set position, said jaw-securing member having a forwardly extending lip, said trigger having an overhanging means adapted to engage the lip to hold the jawsecuring member in a set position, said trigger also having an underlying means adapted to be engaged by said lip for moving said overhanging means in contact with the lip, and means for automatically holding the trigger out of contacting engagement with the jaw-securing member -when the trigger is in a released position.

4. A bait-set trap of the character described hinged upon the base, tension means for said jaw, a trigger hinged upon the base, a jaw-securing member hinged upon said base and adapted to overhang the jaw and hold the jaw in a set position in engagement with said trigger, the trigger having a bait-engaging portion adapted to engage a bait in a manner whereby the trigger will be held in a set position by the bait and in locking engagement with said jaw-securing member, said jaw-securing member being adapted to hold the jaw in a set position, said jaw-securing member having a forwardly extending lip, said trigger having overhanging tongues adapted to engage the lip to hold the jaw-securing member in a set position, and said trigger having an underlying tongue adapted to be engaged by said lip for moving said overhanging tongues in con tact with the lip.

5. A bait-set trap of the character described comprising a base, an animal-engaging jaw hingedly supported upon the base, tension means for the jaw, a jaw-securing member adapted to overhang the animal-engaging jaw, a trigger hingedly secured to the base and adapted to engage the jaw-securing memberto hold the jawsecuring member in a set position, and said trigger having bait-engaging means adapted to overhang a bait and to swing away from the jawsecuring member to release the trigger from the jaw-securing member in a manner whereby the trigger will be supported in a locking position when engaging a bait and will release the jawsecuring member When the bait is eaten 'by an animal or removed from under the trigger.

YERVANT I-I. KURKJIAN. 

